


A little makeover

by Rogercat



Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Bearded Dwarf Women, Dwarf Culture & Customs, Dwarf/Elf Relationship(s), F/M, Female Narvi, Friendship, Inspired by Fanart, Married Couple, Moria | Khazad-dûm, Second Age, eastern Narvi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2020-05-27
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:08:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24407815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rogercat/pseuds/Rogercat
Summary: Narvi surprises Celebrimbor one afternoon at work
Relationships: Celebrimbor | Telperinquar & Narvi & Original Character(s), Celebrimbor | Telperinquar/Narvi
Comments: 8
Kudos: 16





	A little makeover

A century before the start of the first millennium of the Second Age of Middle-earth, Khazad-dûm: 

Celebrimbor knew that something was out of the ordinary when he caught Narvi looking at him from the door to his forge. Since she was dressed in her court dress and her finest jewelry, in the style of her homeland far away in the East, she must have been a guest for the royal family. Maybe a commission? Her skills as a stonemason were famous, after all, and in that laid the basis for the ability as a stone carver as well. 

“Is something wrong, Narvi?

She did not shook her head, but now she looked him over from toes to head and then back in the opposite direction as if she did not want to miss any detail. 

“I managed to get you invited to the feast in seven days, but we ought to fix your looks before that.” 

“My looks…? 

Ok, that took him by surprise. Putting down his work toys for the forge on the table, Celebrimbor now turned slightly so they could see the face of each other better and touched his hair to see if the braid from this morning had gotten so loose over the workday that it was on risk of catching fire if he did not fix his hair again. Despite working as a common blacksmith, Celebrimbor knew how to dress like a classy Elf when out of the forge. He had been born into royalty after all, so long ago that it would almost seem like a dream nowadays unless you knew the truth. 

“Yes,” Narvi responded with her fingers moving as if she was itching to drag him over to her vanity desk, “Your hair. Not braided enough, absolutely non-elegant! We need to make it respectable so that it makes up for the lack of a proper beard...oh, and you will need a different circlet, your usual one is not appropriate for a invitation to a feast held by Durin II, the King himself!” 

While not a insult, Celebrimbor felt a little hurt since he had made that circlet with his own hands only half a century ago. 

“What's wrong with my circlet?! It is only about five decades since I crafted it, practically as good as new by Elven standards… ” 

And again, as so many times since their first meeting so long ago when she was only half a century old herself, Narvi showed him why Dwarrowdams held so power within the family and Dwarven society:

“ **_GOT NO GEMSTONES ON IT!!_ ** And how dare you not be wearing your entire vault of jewelry all at once?! So  **_DISRESPECTFUL!_ ** No class, no grace. I swear, Middle-Earth would be a better place if the Elves learned how to dress.” 

Before he could protest, Celebrimbor found himself lifted up from the ground by her arms around his thighs. 

“H-hold on, Narvi, the feast is seven days away, you said, why does we need to fix my hair so long ahead…” 

“Finding a hairstyle that suits you, silly husband. Come, Chipo should still have her workshop open before she closes for the day.” 

~X~X~X~X~X~X

Soon Celebrimbor found his hair in the hands of Chipo, a Dwarrowdam who aso hailed from the Blacklock clan in the Orocarni but in no way had any blood ties to Narvi as a distant relative. Just because they belonged to the same birth clan with ten years in age difference and had originally arrived here to Khazad-dûm as bride candidates for Durin II in his youth, it did not always mean that they belonged to the same family simply for sharing a place of birth. 

“You Elves have gorgeous hair, but you really are lacking in inventing new hair styles that can make a new fashion trend.” 

Narvi nodded in agreement as Chipo worked on Celebrimbor. Hair braids was a part of Dwarven culture, and it could be a art in itself for those who worked with hair styling whatever there was a important event. Dwarrowdams would grow out their hair and beard for showing off all their hair jewelry, since the beard made ornaments on the bodice not always practical even if the beard were not made into a style that kept it away from the bodice, explaining why Dwarrowdams often would have elegant embroidery on the skirt instead. 

“There, a thick braid on top and two smaller ones on the sides, blending into each other at the neck to create a single long braid downwards.” 

Celebrimbor was surprised by the result when he saw himself in a small hand mirror. He had, of course, seen the impressive braids worn by the Dwarrow in their hair and beards, but his long hair made a different look with their skills in hair braiding.

“Not bad-looking for an bare cheeked Elf. You would look  **_royalty pleasing to the sight_ ** if you only had a beard!” 

Right, Narvi could not be blamed for sometimes getting frustrated by how different their respective race was, and what counted as beauty standards among them. But alas, Celebrimbor knew that if he ever would grow a beard like his great-father Mahtan, he needed at least be twice his current age, as far as he guessed. Beards were uncommon among the Elves. 

“Dress him up in a nice kaftan if you can find one long enough for him, he is the type to look dashing when you wear a similar dress style!” Chipo whispered so Celebrimbor did not hear what sort of ideas his Dwarrowdam wife was getting from her friend. 

~X~X~X~X~X~X

Naturally, Celebrimbor did draw attention to himself on the feast in the royal palace seven days later. Not merely for being the only Elf present among the Dwarrow nobles, but because he wore his hair in a braided style from the East to match the clothing he was wearing, a kaftan in dark red with silver embroidery like a hint to his birth family. Narvi would almost always wear the style of her home realm as a sign of honoring her origins, this time wearing a kaftan dress in dark green with silver embroidery to match her jewelry set, so for Celebrimbor to be dressed up like the wealthy humans in the realms near the Orocarni, it was a stunning sight. 

“One day I shall bring you along to the East so you can explore the Orocarni mountains and the cultures there,” she promised at seeing how handsome her Elven husband looked in this style. Really, she had to make him dress up like that more often. 

**Author's Note:**

> Credit for inspiration for this little one-shot with two of my favorite Tolkien characters comes from this image on DA https://www.deviantart.com/toastedbuckwheat/art/Celebrimbor-s-makeover-843280550
> 
> Chipo is a minor OC Dwarrowdam from An Open Door, and comes from the same hometown as Narvi in the Orocarni mountains


End file.
